ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bark — to shout
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. present — a gift
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. root — the cause
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — the time now
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cell — a phone
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cell — in biology
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. present — there
  20. track — a path
  21. key — in music
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — in control
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com